Comparison
dust vs caveman
Verdict
Pick dust when dust is primarily TypeScript; caveman is JavaScript; pick caveman when caveman is primarily JavaScript; dust is TypeScript.
Markdown twin · dust alternatives · caveman alternatives
GraphCanon updated today
Trust & integrity
| Signal | dust | caveman |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (0d since push) As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Active (7d since push) As of 1d · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Personal account As of 1d · github_public_v1 |
| Security (OSV) | No lockfile As of 1d · none | No lockfile As of 1d · none |
Tagline
- dust
- Custom AI agent platform to speed up your work.
- caveman
- Reduce token usage with concise 'caveman'-style prompts.
Stars
- dust
- 1.4k
- caveman
- 88k
Forks
- dust
- 302
- caveman
- 5.1k
Open issues
- dust
- 224
- caveman
- 392
Language
- dust
- TypeScript
- caveman
- JavaScript
Adopt for
- dust
- -
- caveman
- The **caveman** tool is designed for developers and AI users who aim to optimize their token usage through the generation of more concise prompts, thereby potentially reducing costs and improving efficiency. However, it犺
Persona
- dust
- -
- caveman
- -
Runtime
- dust
- -
- caveman
- -
License
- dust
- MIT
- caveman
- MIT
Last pushed
- dust
- Jul 11, 2026
- caveman
- Jul 3, 2026
Categories
- dust
- AI Agents, Developer Tools, LLM Frameworks
- caveman
- Developer Tools, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Maintenance
- dust
- Very active (96%)
- caveman
- Active (82%)
Days since push
- dust
- 0d
- caveman
- 7d
Open issues (now)
- dust
- 224
- caveman
- 392
Owner type
- dust
- Organization
- caveman
- User
Full report
- dust
- Trust report
- caveman
- Trust report
Choose dust if…
- dust is primarily TypeScript; caveman is JavaScript.
- Tags unique to dust: agents, large-language-models, llm, rust.
- Also covers AI Agents.
- dust ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
When NOT to use dust
- AI Agents: Don't use an agent loop when a deterministic workflow would do; agents add latency, cost, and non-determinism.
- Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model.
- LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
Choose caveman if…
- caveman is primarily JavaScript; dust is TypeScript.
- Tags unique to caveman: ai, anthropic, caveman, claude-code.
- When you need to significantly cut down on token usage in AI interactions, up to 65%, without losing essential information content.
When NOT to use caveman
- When requiring complex and detailed prompts that necessitate more nuanced expression beyond simple, 'caveman'-style sentences.
- For situations where adherence to formal or specific linguistic structures is mandatory for the task's success.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (dust-tt/dust) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (dust-tt/dust) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (dust-tt/dust) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (JuliusBrussee/caveman) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (JuliusBrussee/caveman) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (JuliusBrussee/caveman) · observed Jul 3, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: dust 1.4k · caveman 88k (synced Jul 11, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between dust and caveman?
- dust: Custom AI agent platform to speed up your work.. caveman: Reduce token usage with concise 'caveman'-style prompts.. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose dust over caveman?
- Choose dust over caveman when dust is primarily TypeScript; caveman is JavaScript; Tags unique to dust: agents, large-language-models, llm, rust; Also covers AI Agents; dust ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
- When should I choose caveman over dust?
- Choose caveman over dust when caveman is primarily JavaScript; dust is TypeScript; Tags unique to caveman: ai, anthropic, caveman, claude-code; When you need to significantly cut down on token usage in AI interactions, up to 65%, without losing essential information content.
- When should I avoid dust?
- AI Agents: Don't use an agent loop when a deterministic workflow would do; agents add latency, cost, and non-determinism. Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
- When should I avoid caveman?
- When requiring complex and detailed prompts that necessitate more nuanced expression beyond simple, 'caveman'-style sentences. For situations where adherence to formal or specific linguistic structures is mandatory for the task's success.
- Is dust or caveman more popular on GitHub?
- caveman has more GitHub stars (87,950 vs 1,413). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are dust and caveman open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (dust: MIT, caveman: MIT).
- Where can I find alternatives to dust or caveman?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at dust alternatives and caveman alternatives (dust markdown twin, caveman markdown twin), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes.
- Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison?
- Yes. The markdown twin at this comparison mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
- Which is better maintained, dust or caveman?
- dust: Very active. caveman: Active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance.
- Where are the full trust reports for dust and caveman?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: dust trust report; caveman trust report.